Dark Chocolate
by Resonae
Summary: Shin reflects on how Sakuraba changed his life since the day they met. A sweeet, short  and late  Valentine's day one-shot. Shounen-ai.


I don't own the boys… I wish T_T. This is a small V-day one-shot, even if it is three days late, lol.

* * *

><p>Shin looked out of the window. He'd eaten lunch already, and the bubbly blonde that was usually by his side was nowhere to be seen. Sakuraba had muttered something about chocolates and candy and had left at the beginning of the lunch period.<p>

Shin glanced at the empty seat in front of him. It felt strange to not have the blonde smiling at him, talking about something while Shin listened. Shin thought of the first day of Oujou Middle School, when the blonde had turned in his seat and greeted him in the warmest smile Shin had ever seen in his life.

Shin hadn't paid it much attention back then. He's not going to stick around, he had thought. Like everyone else. Shin never had close friends – he was too silent, too lacking in personality and emotions for that. People shunned him and he had never thought twice about it, not even when his parents stopped smiling at him and asking him how his day was. So they all avoided him and Shin hadn't given much thought. After all, he never liked conversation, or when people talked too much.

But Sakuraba stayed. And Shin listened. Sakuraba talked about pointless things most of the time – the teacher was too strict, the girls were always ogling at him, and his boss was too stifling, but Shin always listened. He never replied much, just with a "Hn," or a "I see," but that seemed to be enough for Sakuraba, who would continue on.

Later on, Shin realized people thought Sakuraba was weird because he was always with Shin. He became aware of the rumors – they must be gay together, why else would someone like Sakuraba stick around? Sakuraba thought it was hilarious. The rumors stayed and went, stayed and went. And Shin realized Sakuraba had other friends than himself, but barely did anything with them. It was always Shin and Sakuraba. Sakuraba and Shin. They came as a set.

They went as a set even to tryouts. He didn't show it, but he was glad they both made it to the American football team. And even more when Sakuraba didn't give up. He never told anyone, but he only found the strength to keep going because he would look back and Sakuraba would be there, just a few feet behind him. And people thought he worked hard for no reason.

And then he lost sight of Sakuraba for a while when Sena came into his life. He was obsessed with beating Sena. He forgot to look back to check if Sakuraba was there.

Looking back at it, it was the biggest regret of his life. But blessings always came hidden in misfortunes, and his forgetting Sakuraba boosted Sakuraba enough to not stay behind him but catch up to him and run with him. Shin liked glancing to the side and seeing the blonde there. Shin might not show it, but he enjoyed running the whole game with Sakuraba by his side more than anything.

Many people thought Shin's most important thing was American football. They were wrong.

Sakuraba meant everything to him. If Shin was told to give up football to be able to be with Sakuraba, he wouldn't hesitate. Sakuraba had taught him the warmth of human company, of a smile. Sakuraba knew him in ways no one else did, and Shin knew Sakuraba in ways no one else did.

Shin looked up when the blonde returned five minutes before the bell, looking worn. "What happened?" Shin had never spoken up first before he met Sakuraba. Sakuraba sighed and shook his head, burying his face in his arms. Shin frowned. Sakuraba never passed up on opportunity to complain to Shin. He reached over and touched his head.

Sakuraba looked up. He nuzzled against Shin's hand, much like the calico the blonde owned. A few moments later Sakuraba sighed comfortably. "These girls. They won't leave me alone." He moaned, turned around in his seat to face Shin. Shin took his hand back and folded his arms on his desk, satisfied the blonde's attention was on him. Sakuraba leaned over and buried his face in Shin's arms, sighing again. "I don't want their chocolate."

Oh. It was Valentine's Day. Shin hadn't realized, but then remembered the pile of chocolates that had spilled out of Sakuraba's shoe locker this morning. He moved his hand idly and Sakuraba rubbed his cheek on his palm. "You're like a cat." Shin commented, and Sakuraba grinned.

He sat back up when the bell rang, and Shin wanted to grab the warmth that left him but held back. Sakuraba's honey eyes glanced at him. "Are you doing anything after school?"

Shin snorted. "Not without you." The answer seemed to satisfy Sakuraba, who turned around with a large grin. Since it wasn't season, the team had almost no practices – only a few to keep in shape, but today was one of the days the team was free. Sakuraba and Shin walked home together every day, and it wasn't as if Shin had any other friends, but Sakuraba had made it a habit to ask if Shin was doing something after school. Shin guessed Sakuraba enjoyed hearing the answer.

Classes passed by normally. Neither him nor Sakuraba were bad students – although Sakuraba wasn't exactly the hardest working either – and Shin saw Sakuraba doodling in the corner of his notes as he took notes. Shin tapped Sakuraba in the back with his pen and Sakuraba glanced backward with a grin. He stopped doodling for a while, started, and Shin would tap him again. Shin paid more attention to Sakuraba than the lesson.

When the lessons were over, Sakuraba looked fearfully out the door. "Don't worry." Shin packed his bags and slung Sakuraba's over his back. "Just stay right behind me." Shin pushed easily through the crowd of girls who were shoving chocolates in Sakuraba's face and then broke into a sprint. He kept his speed lower than maximum, knowing Sakuraba was a slower runner than him.

Even then, they weren't the two aces of Oujou for no reason. By the time they'd gotten to Shin's house, no girl was tailing them. The two stumbled into the apartment, Sakuraba shaking his head. "Every year." He ruffled his hair in frustration and flopped down on Shin's couch.

Shin poured a cool cup of water and handed it to Sakuraba, who took it gratefully. Shin sat next to Sakuraba, who had flopped back down on the couch once he'd finished the cup. He reached out and put his hand on Sakuraba's head again, petting him as if he were a cat. Sakuraba turned so his eyes were looking up at Shin. "Shin, I'm glad you're here." He moved so his head was in Shin's lap and he sighed contently.

Shin said nothing, though he knew Sakuraba understood he felt the same way. Sakuraba turned so Shin could no longer pat his hair, but he was staring straight up at Shin. "When I first met you, Shin, for some reason I wanted to get to know you. Other people kept telling me you were weird, but I don't know. I kept thinking about you. And then at first I thought you were just ignoring me when I talked, but then I realized you listen to everything I say." He smiled warmly up at Shin, and Shin felt the smile do its usual job – warm him up down to his toes. Sakuraba turned again and long arms reached to hug Shin around the waist. "Don't leave, Shin. I don't think I can deal without you."

Shin went back to stroking Sakuraba's hair. After a while he pulled a confused-looking Sakuraba up, and hesitated for a moment. He wasn't used to talking about how he felt. After all, he normally ignored everything and everyone. "Sakuraba." He said softly, holding Sakuraba's shoulders firmly but gently. "I'm glad you stayed." He said, wondering if he was doing it in the right order. "I'm glad you ignored everyone else and I'm glad you smile at me every day. When you smile at me I feel like nothing can go badly. I enjoy hearing you talk, and when you're gone I feel uneasy." He paused again and wondered if he was doing it right. He looked into Sakuraba's eyes and flinched when he saw honey eyes filling with tears. "Sakuraba? Did I do something wrong?" His grip loosened in shock.

Sakuraba shook his head wildly and sniffed. "Shin, you never talk to me like this! I always thought I was thought this was a one-sided thing…" He threw his arms around the black-haired lineman and Shin felt warm tears drop from the blonde to his neck. He awkwardly pulled his arms around his best friend. The two sat in silence save Sakuraba's sniffs once in a while, and Shin wondered if he could go on.

He tried again. "You are the most important thing for me."

Sakuraba didn't respond. Instead, he moved backward and Shin instinctively tightened his grip. Sakuraba laughed quietly. "I'm not going anywhere." He assured Shin, but Shin didn't loosen. He realized Sakuraba's face was millimeters from his, and for the first time Shin took in how Sakuraba looked. Even with his short hair, Sakuraba had a feminine face, with soft lines everywhere instead of the angles that Shin had. And honey eyes, almost golden, were staring at him, unblinking but soft. Before Shin knew it, his right hand had moved from Sakuraba's waist to the back his neck, and he'd pressed their lips together.

Sakuraba didn't pull away, but Shin didn't know how to continue. Sakuraba snickered playfully and Shin felt the laughter on his own lips. But Sakuraba seemed to know. He parted his lips lightly and Shin followed suit, and Shin felt a foreign tongue in his mouth, tapping at his own.

Well, he wasn't one to fall behind. Holding Sakuraba close to him, he took initiative and dragged Sakuraba onto his lap, pressing Sakuraba's tongue back into his own mouth and pressing their lips closer together. Sakuraba laughed again, and Shin pulled back. "I don't know how to do this." He admitted, and Sakuraba laughed again. It wasn't belittling, but Shin felt sheepish anyway.

"I don't know either." Sakuraba admitted, laughing. "I loved you since I was 13! There's no way I could know." Right. Shin watched Sakuraba reach over to his bag and pull something out. Sakuraba looked unsure, but held the box out to Shin anyway. "Here." He fidgeted. "I made it last night for you, but I didn't know if I was going to give it to you in the end. I know you don't eat junk food, though, and you don't like sweets, but I made it really dark so it's not that sweet… oh, never mind." Sakuraba reached for the box again. "I'll just give it to Takami-senpai and Ootawara-senpai tomorrow."

Shin pulled it back from Sakuraba's reach. Well, Sakuraba had a longer reach than him, so he just pulled it back. Sakuraba stopped, blinking. Shin frowned. "Why would you give it to Takami-senpai and Ootawara-senpai?"

Sakuraba blushed. "Well, I don't know. I mean, I like _you_, don't worry. But I don't want chocolates going to waste."

"I'll eat them." Shin opened the box, tearing the wrapper. "You made them for me, right?" He took a piece and bit into it. Sakuraba gauged his reaction. Not too sweet, Shin decided. And junk food once in a while should be okay, he told himself. Especially if – he peeked up at Sakuraba, who looked like he was going to cry and laugh at the same time. "It tastes good. I like it."

Sakuraba laughed and flung his arms around Shin, hugging him tightly. "It's okay? It's not too sweet? How's it taste?"

Shin took another piece. "It's good." He replied simply. After a moment he swallowed the sweet. "Don't.." He was glad Sakuraba was hugging him and couldn't see his face. He was blushing for the first time in his life. "Don't make them for anyone else."

Sakuraba stopped laughing and pulled back. Shin saw an impish grin spread across the other's lips. "Shin, could it be… you're jealous?" He started to laugh again when Shin frowned. "You are!" Sakuraba laughed so hard he almost fell off Shin's lap and the couch. "I didn't know you got jealous!"

Shin grabbed Sakuraba before he could. He put the box down to the side and used his free hand to cup Sakuraba's cheek. Sakuraba stopped laughing. Shin brought their faces closer so their foreheads were touching. He could feel Sakuraba's cheeks heating up and he spoke softly. "Don't make them for anyone else. Don't stop smiling at me. Don't leave my side." He felt Sakuraba snuggle into him, nodding softly. "I'm glad I met you, Sakuraba. And as long as you're here, I won't let you go."

He didn't see Sakuraba smile, but felt it when his lips pressed to his again.


End file.
